Harry Potter and the Order of the Serpent
by TwistedFilms
Summary: AU. An enigma as old as time itself. A being reawakened, one that could bring destruction to all creation. An order dedicated to safekeeping the mysteries of Magic. In the grand scheme of things, Lord Voldemort was nothing but a speck of dust. The greatest bloodshed still remains. And as the young boy from Privet Drive is about to discover, the real battle has just barely begun.
1. The End of the Beginning

Harry had always been different from the others. His calm, composed demeanor did not give off the slightest hint of aggravation, and when the other children would throw a tantrum every time something didn't go their way, Harry would simply sit there, staring at those who did him wrong with those accusing light-green eyes. People often mistook him for being shy, and treated him as such. Harry didn't mind. His compassion did not go beyond that which he held for his two closest friends anyway, the witch Hermione Granger and the wizard Draco Malfoy.

Despite the somewhat uninviting front he put up, Harry actually had a rather warm personality. He had always considered himself to have a good sense of humor, and his compassion, albeit limited, ran deep for those whom he really cared for. And as he had quickly learnt during his short three years at Hogwarts, there wasn't much he wouldn't do to protect his closest friends.

Unlike others, Harry didn't crave human contact. He could be perfectly fine on his own, lost in the stormy seas of his own thoughts. Despite being an avid daydreamer, Harry was a diligent student, constantly surprising his teachers with his ability to remember almost every sentence said during classes. He often came out on top during tests and exams, standing above the others as a prime example of what the perfect student looked like.

But Harry cared little for academic accomplishments. He never bragged about his grades, or his clear supremacy over the other students in terms of intelligence. No, Harry simply wanted to live a quiet life, sticking with his close circle of friends, never really putting himself in harms way.

Therefore, when he learned about what Dumbledore had in store for him, Harry had, in secret, tried his best to find a way out. He didn't want to face down the most ruthless killer in the wizarding world. He didn't want to blindly sacrifice himself for the good of people he really didn't care about. Was that honestly such a hard decision to fathom? He was but 14 years old, and he had his whole life ahead of him. Why must he, a mere child, die and suffer for the sake of others?

…

However, as Harry was about to find out, his prophecy with Lord Voldemort was just the tip of the iceberg. In the long run, Tom Riddle's schemes would have little impact on the way of the world. No, Harry's destiny and purpose ran deeper than that of any prophecy.

All his life, people had lied to him. Told him what he was, told him what to do. That would happen no more. Soon, the real question would be asked. A glimpse of the real truth would pierce the darkness like a ray of light. And no man, no matter how powerful, could prepare for something like this.

A being, which had been dormant for centuries, was about to awake. An enigma as old as time was about to be revealed. And the young boy Harry Potter from Godric's Hollow, without knowing it himself, would unlock the final gate leading to the answer.

* * *

\- A Story by Twisted Films -

 **Harry Potter and the Order of the Serpent**

 _"Alea iacta est" – The Die Has Been Cast_

* * *

At the start of his first year at Hogwarts, Harry's one and only friend had been the young wizard Draco, who came from the prestigious family of Malfoy. Despite his fame within the wizarding world, Draco was a down-to-earth boy, smart and cunning for the most part. Sadly, he had a rather nasty tendency, which he had undoubtedly picked up from his father, where he would mock those whom he considered to be of "less worth".

So when Harry started encountering and talking to the "mudblood" girl Hermione Granger in the library, Draco did not take it well. He mocked her endlessly, calling her out on her parents, her legacy and the blood that ran through her veins. Harry knew it to be nothing more than Draco going on the defensive, because much like how Draco was Harry's only friend, Harry was Draco's only true friend as well. He was simply afraid of Harry leaving him.

However, when it became clear that Harry had no intention of stopping, Draco slowly started growing more accustomed to having her there. Before long, they were an inseparable bunch, always having each other's backs. They had been through some tough times together, both in their first, second and third year at Hogwarts, because trouble seemed to flock to them like moths to a light. But they had went through all of it together, surviving and thriving due to their impressive camaraderie and teamwork.

And now, they had yet again returned to Hogwarts, school of witchcraft and wizardry, to continue their education for the fourth time. Only this time, things were going to be very different…

* * *

 **October 29th, 1994**

Seamus Finnigan let out a shriek of frustration as the steps yet again retracted in on themselves, effectively turning the staircase into a slide. Harry, as well as the other male members of Gryffindor that had gathered around, couldn't help but laugh as the boy came crashing down for the millionth time.

"I'm telling ya, this bloody staircase will be the death of me!" Seamus shouted as he got back up on his feet. For the past 30 minutes, Seamus had taken it upon himself to conquer the staircase leading up to the girls' dorm. It was pretty much a daily activity for the male students of Gryffindor at this point, and there was always someone ready to challenge the ultimate opponent.

The staircase itself was infused with a type of magic that would make its steps retract every time a boy tried to get up into the girls' dorm without permission. This had caused the boys a lot of frustration, as the concept of peeping on the girls was apparently something they found incredibly amusing. Luckily enough, whomever had made the staircase had also included a work-around to this whole dilemma. If a girl was holding your hand and leading you up towards the girls' dorm with the intention of bringing you up there, the staircase would not react, and you would be able to enter the oaken wooden door at the top. Harry liked to think of it as Dumbledore's way of saying that he wasn't a complete cockblock.

Sadly, up until this point, the boys had yet to manage to convince a girl to take them up there, so what lied beyond that door at the top still remained a mystery to most of them.

As Seamus finally gave up on his great quest, the other boys started filtering out, and before long, Harry was the only one left in the common room. Class was about to resume, but Harry wasn't planning on attending it today. Grabbing the colossal stack of books he had left on a nearby table, he headed out of the Gryffindor common room, and towards the Library on the first floor of the stone castle that was Hogwarts.

Students were hurrying up and down the massive, ever-changing staircase on their way to class, and to an untrained eye, it might have looked like nothing but total chaos. But to Harry, it was like a grand, but beautiful cacophony of sounds, immersing him in the world of an everyday student. Except, of course, that no one at Hogwarts was a normal student. They studied the ancient art of magic, after all.

As he waited for the revolving staircase to arrive at its destination, he couldn't help but smile as he reminisced about everything he had experienced these past few years. From the dangerous encounter with He Who Must Not Be Named during his first year, to the gargantuan King of Snakes, the Basilisk, which resided in the Chamber of Secrets, to his Godfather's escape from Azkaban, Harry's life had been nothing short of an insane, twisted adventure. And if it hadn't been for the support of his friends, he undoubtedly would've perished a long time ago.

His little trip down memory lane was cut short by the stairwell finally linking up with the corridor leading to the library. During his first year at Hogwarts, the ever-changing network of staircases had seemed rather impossible to comprehend, but after being forced to use it for a couple of months, he had started seeing patterns and other intricacies that led him to an understanding of how the system worked. He had to admit, it was quite the ingenious design.

Hurrying along the corridor, Harry took a quick look at his newly purchased watch, a frown marring his features as he realized that he was running late. Hermione was well known for being a huge fan of punctuality, and being late to a meeting was probably akin to that of using an Unforgivable Curse in front of her and expecting her to praise your skill as a wizard.

Fear of being lectured on responsibility led him to quicken his stride, and before long, he was standing in front of the large, oaken door that led in to the library. He could practically hear Hermione pacing back and forth inside, waiting for him to give her some kind of half-assed excuse as to why he was running late, only for her to see right through it and scold him nonetheless. Grabbing the door handle, Harry let out a sigh as he mentally prepared himself for the coming storm, and opened the door in one swift motion.

"Where have you been? Why are you late? Are those even the right books? Why is your hair slightly different from yesterday? Why is there a smudge on your glasses? WHY AREN'T YOU PAYING ATTENTION TO ME?" The endless barrage of questions continued as Harry helplessly tried to defend himself with weak arguments that he knew were shallow and easily dismissible.

"I'm sorry Hermione, I got stuck up watching Seamus trying to scale the staircase to the girls' dorm again, and…" He realized a moment too late that he had just opened up yet another "can of worms", so to speak.

"Again?! You guys need to stop doing that, it is a despicable act that is degrading against women and shows a clear lack of respect for the female gender…" Hermione was a through-and-through feminist, and saying anything even slightly degrading against women would set off a verbal bomb the size of Fat Man. "And with females being oppressed nearly every day it is becoming increasingly harder to… hey are you even listening to me?!"

Harry sent her a pleading look as he gestured towards the other students currently present in the library, whom had all turned around to watch their little dispute. Hermione's cheeks turned beet-red as she realized she had interrupted the otherwise peaceful silence of the library, and let out a huff of indignation as she lowered her voice to a whisper.

"W… whatever, the point is that women rule the world and you should be ashamed. Oh, and did you remember to bring "Hogwarts, A History" this time?"

"Yes, I did, **Mom** , anything else you'd like me to do? Make you a cup of tea perhaps?" he answered mockingly whilst rolling his eyes.

"Haha, very funny mister. Now pull out your books, and let us get to studying! We have a test coming up, and your knowledge of Hogwarts history is, quite frankly, lacking".

* * *

Harry would rather die than admit to it, but studying with Hermione was, in its own way, a rather calming part of his day. The two were very much on the same wavelength, and would often finish each other's sentences amongst other things. Watching her bend over the books with that slightly intense expression, her bushy, chestnut hair caressing the side of her face, was one of Harry's "guilty pleasures", so to speak. Not that there were any other intentions behind it. He simply found it calming. She looked so… at peace, in her own way.

What was not nearly as exciting, however, was the book in front of him. "Hogwarts, A History" could only be described by one word: brick. With its numerous pages filled with nothing but endless exposition, it was any students' worst nightmare, and even to Harry, a top dog in the academic field, reading it could be compared to an hour-long session of pain and suffering.

Hermione, however, seemed to be properly enjoying herself, jumping from page to page at the speed of light. It was quite a miracle that her brain managed to register and keep track of all of that information she consistently fed it. Harry's brain would automatically try to turn itself off whenever he overworked it, but Hermione's brain didn't seem to have that failsafe. He envied her for that.

The two continued their studying in silence for the next hour or so, before Harry finally let out a long sigh of fatigue.

"I'm completely busted. How about we call it a day?"

Hermione peered over at him from over her book, a meek smile plastered on her face.

"You tired already? Thy art weak, Mister Harry".

"Oh, I'm sorry for not being able to keep up with your superhuman ability of intense concentration. I am merely human, after all," Harry mocked, closing the book in front of him.

"Well, I suppose if you're leaving already, I might as well leave myself. No point in sitting here all alone when I already know everything there is to know about the subject".

"Wait, you knew this stuff all along? Why would you sit here for hours if you had already practiced this part of the curriculum?" he asked, cocking his head slightly to the side in an inquiring gesture.

"Erhm… I felt like I had to… go over the… finer details of the subject! Yes, that's it!" she answered, a generous smile flaring up across her face. Harry eyed her with clear suspicion, but decided that simply rolling with it would probably be a wiser course of action.

"Whatever you say," he finally mulled with a sigh of resignation. Hermione, clearly satisfied with his answer, sent him a warm smile, before suddenly tensing up. Harry, having not expected that particular reaction, furrowed his brows in concern, posing an unspoken question to Hermione.

"Harry… are you truly… alright? You know, after what happened at the Quidditch World Cup, and with that nightmare of yours… I guess I'm just unable stop worrying about it. We've been through so much together, and I feel like we never really get the chance to talk about it". The somber tone in which she spoke immediately put Harry on edge. He knew that both Draco and Hermione had been worrying about him, but he hadn't really known how to talk about it before. He couldn't explain exactly what it was, but he had this… feeling… that if he talked about it, something bad could happen.

"I… I'm okay, Hermione, I really am. It just… I have this unsettling feeling that it all means more than I think it does. Like I'm missing the bigger picture, somehow…" he let the sentence trail off, leaving the two of them in complete silence. The expression on Hermione's face told him his answer hadn't quite helped her already solemn mood, but that was understandable.

"Just… if you ever feel like you need someone, remember that we are always going to be there for you, okay? We'll never leave you," she said, her eyes filled with concern.

"Thanks, Hermione. I promise I'll come straight to you guys if something happens". Smiling now, Hermione nodded her head, before letting out a sigh of relief.

"Whoa, that got deep for a second there… Heh, sorry 'bout that!"

"Don't sweat it, I appreciate your concern, I really do," Harry answered in a comforting voice, gently placing his hand on her shoulder. She instantly draped her own hand over his, giving it a small squeeze. They remained like that for a while, comforting each other.

" _Get a room!"_ someone in the library suddenly shouted, immediately deflating the atmosphere. The two of them quickly pulled their hands away from each other, coughing in an awkward attempt to restore their dignity.

"Ehrm, a… anyway… you should probably get going," Hermione coughed, a deep tint of red slowly spreading across her face.

"Y… yeah totally, I was just about to do… that," Harry responded, hastily grabbing his books before brushing past her.

 _Why do I always end up in such embarrassing situations?_ he secretly wondered to himself as he hurried down the corridor leading back to the common room.

* * *

 **October 30** **th** **, 1994**

"SILENCE". The magically enhanced voice of Albus Dumbledore tore through the Great Hall, stifling any discussion currently going on between the students seated at any of the four gargantuan tables. An eerie, incessant silence shrouded the hall, with all eyes fixed on the Headmaster.

"Tonight, a very special happening will take place at Hogwarts," Dumbledore said, his authoritative voice rippling across the stone walls. "As you are all aware, this school has been selected to host an extraordinary event known as the Triwizard Tournament! As Headmaster, I am deeply honored, and on behalf of all the staff at Hogwarts, allow me to offer our utmost thanks to the Department of Magical Games and Sports from the Ministry of Magic for bestowing this honor upon us".

From behind the teachers table, a man clad in a black robe arose from his seat, eliciting an applause from the other staff members present. The students in the Great Hall quickly caught on, and started clapping as well. Tipping his head in a symbolic bow towards the Headmaster, the man put on a warm, genuine-looking smile that was undoubtedly the result of many years of practice.

 _That's the smile of a man who has several years of experience in the field of politics under his belt_ , Harry noted to himself as he absentmindedly clapped along with the other students. _Warm on the outside, cold and withering on the inside_.

As the man found his seat, Dumbledore raised his voice yet again, promptly silencing the applause as if it had never been there in the first place.

"Now, the Triwizard Tournament is no easy undertaking. It is designed to test the limits of your intelligence, your magical ability and… your courage". His stare seemed to linger on Harry for a moment as he uttered the last few words, before continuing its sweep of the Great Hall.

"3 Champions will enter, but only one will emerge as the victor. Each champion will represent their respective schools, and compete against each other in strenuous tasks that will require them to put forth their utmost effort in order to escape unscathed".

The entirety of the Great Hall held their collective breaths as they waited for Dumbledore to continue his speech. The tension hung thick in the air as he adjusted his glasses, purposefully dragging out the pause for dramatic effect.

 _Drama queen,_ Harry thought.

"The winner of the Triwizard Tournament will be rewarded with eternal glory, recognition by his peers, a monetary price and the prestigious Triwizard Cup!" As he finished his sentence, a magical current of wind flew through the Great Hall, ruffling hair and eliciting gasps from several students. The gusts stopped at the front of the hall, before beginning to meld together into a small tornado-like wind, increasing in both power and ferocity. And there, in the middle of the tornado, Harry spotted a goblet-like object made of the finest metal beginning to materialize.

As sudden as it had started, the wind disappeared, leaving a truly magnificent cup behind that took the breath of most of the students gathered in the Great Hall. The sparkle in Dumbledore's eyes seemed to intensify just a little as he gazed out over the baffled students, the Triwizard Cup illuminating the words "WIZ" and "ARD" ingrained on its side.

"The process of selecting champions will be taken care of by the Goblet of Fire. Each student that wishes to enter the Triwizard Tournament will have to place a piece of parchment with their name on it into the Goblet, and it will select the champions it feels are the most worthy to participate".

In front of him, a bearskin cover came floating down from the magical ceiling, landing on an invisible object that had been there all along, highlighting its features. With a wave of his hand, Dumbledore removed the cover, exposing a huge bronze Goblet with a crackling blue flame shining brightly from its center. The Great Hall was nothing short of entranced by its magical beauty, especially by the blue flame at the top. It seemed to have a will of its own, bending and twisting with such precise movements it seemed unnatural for a flame.

"Now, due to the harsh nature of these tasks, the Ministry of Magic has put an age restriction in place for participation in the Tournament. Only wizards from the age of 17 and up will be allowed to enter their names into the Goblet of Fire".

The response was instant. The undisturbed silence was replaced by deafening shouts of frustration from all the students that were under the age of 17, all screaming out in opposition of this new, unfair rule. Even Harry had to admit, he was a little disappointed that he wouldn't be able to enter his name into the roster.

"SILENCE!" Dumbledore yet again shouted, this time putting even more power behind his words. The Great Hall immediately fell silent, a stark contrast to the shouts that had just filled the room.

"This new regulation is solely for your own safety. I am sure many of you are highly disappointed that you won't be able to participate, but rules are rules, and I will have it no other way". Nobody answered. No one was willing to face Dumbledore head-to-head.

"Now, with that out of the way, allow me to introduce you to some of the guests that will be staying here at Hogwarts for the Tournament! First up are the lovely ladies from the French school of wizardry, **Beauxbatons Academy of Magic!** "

As he shouted out the name of the school, the enormous wooden doors leading in to the Great Hall flew open, taking the students by surprise. An array of girls, all dressed in stark blue colors, came gliding into the hall, an army of doves emerging from underneath their clothes, making the other students gathered in the Great Hall gasp in surprise. Following them was what could only be described as a massive woman the size of Hagrid, dressed in superfluous clothing. The ladies stopped twice on their way up towards the podium, extending their arms out towards either side of the room in a welcoming gesture. As they reached the Headmaster, they split up into two groups, with one particular girl splitting off to the middle to perform what looked like French ballet. Her moves were graceful, calm and collected like that of a winter morning. She was beautiful, too.

As her dancing came to a halt, the students were ripped from their trance-like state, and a massive applause filled the hall. Out of the corner of his eye, Harry noticed that Hermione and Ginny didn't appear to be as enthusiastic about the Beauxbatons' students arrival as the others.

 _Probably don't like the competition,_ Harry smiled, returning his attention to the Headmaster.

"As charming as they are, these are not the only students that will be joining us at Hogwarts this year. Allow me to introduce the proud students of the **Durmstrang Institute!** "

Another flock of students came marching into the Great Hall, except these ones were far more intimidating than the beautiful girls of the Beauxbatons Academy of Magic. Holding what looked like bronze rods in their hands, they slammed them into the ground in tune with each other, each crack of the rods eliciting a shower of sparks. Walking behind them was two terrifying-looking men, one considerably older than the other one.

Harry pegged the eldest one as the Headmaster, but the younger one… It took him a moment to recognize him, but when he did, the realization hit him like a speeding train. It was Victor Krum, the famous Bulgarian seeker that had participated in the Quidditch World Cup just months earlier. He walked with all the confidence one would normally associate with a world famous individual, the Russian ushanka on his head hammering home the image of a robust northerner.

As they reached the front of the hall, the two groups with the rods split off, leaving a sole man in the middle who got down on one knee, summoning a phoenix made of crackling fire from his mouth.

The applause was many times that of which the Beauxbatons students received, with some students even leaving their seats to give a standing ovation. Their Headmaster, whom Dumbledore had introduced as Igor Karkaroff, was clearly proud of his students, and gave no effort to hide it.

A few minutes later, when the spectacle had dwindled, Dumbledore yet again rose his voice to speak.

"I hope that you will all welcome these students as if they were your own brothers and sisters. I want no boorish behavior taking place, is that understood? These are your fellow wizards, worthy of your respect. Treat them as such".

The solemn silence that filled the hall seemed to be answer enough for Dumbledore.

"Now, let us all take part in this grand feast to celebrate the arrival of our honored guests!"

* * *

Beads of sweat trickled down his spine as he tossed and turned in bed, his head filled with visions and dreams he did not comprehend. Harry's night traumas had always been an issue, but lately, they seemed to have increased in their intensity. In his dreams, he was standing atop a nameless cliff, looking out over a black ocean shrouded in mist. All around him was darkness, and with every second, it crept closer and closer. However, as he tried to turn away and run, he found his body frozen to the core, every cell in his body paralyzed. This was a darkness that could not be ignored; a darkness filled with such malice it made his heart flutter with fear. It wanted to consume him, rip him apart, ravage him until nothing remained.

As the darkness closed in around him, all light vanished. All hope disappeared. There was no longer any question of whether or not he would be able to escape with his life. This was where he met his end, he could see that now. And then, as if to mock him, a pair of colossal eyes lit up in the darkness, staring down at him like he was nothing but a speck of dust. They shone with a blood-red color, and made Harry want to tear his own eyes out just so he wouldn't have to look at them.

A rolling voice cut through the darkness, a voice filled with such power it made his bones rattle.

" **I. AM".**

And that's when he woke up.

* * *

 **A/N: Alright then, allow me to congratulate you on getting through the first chapter of this new story, Harry Potter and the Order of the Serpent! This is, in fact, the first time I have ever planned a story before writing it. Every chapter, every character, every plot-twist has been mapped out ahead of time, so I am hoping that will result in higher quality when it comes to the overall plot and pacing.**

 **By the way, I apologize for the cringeworthy teen-romance during the library scene. I promise I won't force romantic interactions down your throat, if it creates awkward situations. I want to create a realistic picture of an adolescent relationship, and I figured casual romance like that was part of it. I apologize if you found it off-putting, it WILL get better as the story goes on, I promise.**

 **Nonetheless, I honestly hope you enjoyed this first chapter. Spent a helluva long time on it, that's for sure. If you did, would you please be so kind as to leave a review? They help me out immensely when it comes to improving as a writer, and they give me valuable feedback on whether or not you guys enjoyed a particular chapter.**

 **Also, I'm hoping you will enjoy my more sarcastic, humorous take on Harry. I always found his personality rather dull in both the books and the movies. I guess we will have to see. That's all from me though. Until next time, ladies and gentlemen.**

 **-Twisted**


	2. The Triwizard Champions

**October 31st, 1994**

"You do realize you can't put your name in the Goblet of Fire, right?" Draco remarked, pushing the blonde hair out of his eyes as the couple continued their stroll towards the Potions classroom.

"Of course I know that! Why would you expect me to do such a thing in the first place?" Harry answered, faking ignorance.

"You have a tendency of chasing trouble, Potter, and more often than not, you involve me in said trouble as well". Harry laughed slightly at that. He couldn't deny it, that was for sure.

"Well I'm sorry Draco, its not like I want to be a living beacon for everything bad in this world either," he defended, memories of his past years at Hogwarts flying before his eyes.

"I suppose…" Draco muttered, shaking his head. "Just promise me you'll try your best to stay out of trouble's way this time, and perhaps there's still a chance we might have a calm year at Hogwarts after all".

Walking into the Potions classroom, the couple was met with the daily bustle of student life. Students discussing yesterday's homework, a particular spell they might have found difficult, or just getting their daily fill of gossip. The two boys found a free seat near the front of the room, and sat down with a thud, Harry's head immediately finding its way to a resting position on the desk.

 _I swear to God, these nightmares are going to be the death of me._

Letting out a long sigh of discomfort, he resigned himself to his fate (yet another class of having Snape as his teacher), and started sorting out his books.

"Who do you think will be selected as the Triwizard Champions, anyway?" Draco asked casually whilst adjusting his robes. The heir of the most prestigious house of Malfoy had always been abnormally attentive when it came to his appearance, and Harry would often catch him staring at himself in the mirror, adjusting something about himself that seemed insignificant to Harry.

"To be honest, I reckon Viktor Krum is going to be one of them. The way he came marching into the Great Hall the other day, as if he was some sort of king, implies that their Headmaster thinks very highly of him. It wouldn't surprise me if they didn't allow any other Durmstrang student to enter their name into the Goblet of Fire, if only to assure Krum is the only one selected".

"It wouldn't surprise me either," Draco nodded solemnly, having fine-tuned his robes into a position he was satisfied with. "They seem like quite the barbarians, those Durmstrang students. Probably haven't even heard of blood purity".

Harry couldn't help but scoff at that.

"Draco, when are you going to stop with that pure-blood mania of yours? You should be perfectly aware by now that blood purity has absolutely nothing to do with a wizard's magical ability. Take Hermione, for instance. She's better than the both of us when it comes to practically everything magic-related, and both of her parents are Muggles!"

"That girl is an exception! She is indeed a capable wizard, there is no denying that, but I am sure she has some manner of wizarding blood running through her veins, perhaps derived from a far-off relative of the family or something," Draco resisted, a hint of frustration coloring his voice.

"Draco, you're clutching for straws now, and you know it".

"Whatever. Class is about to start, so shut your trap and pay attention".

As if on queue, Snape came traipsing into the classroom, all of the student falling silent at the sight of him. Every student in Hogwarts knew Snape valued discipline above all, and if you stirred up trouble in his class, you would find yourself with so much detention you would barely be able to see the light of day again.

"Today, we will be attempting to brew the Sleeping Draught potion, a relatively easy task by normal accounts," he said with a firm, monotone voice, as if they were all nothing but specks of dirt beneath him. "But it wouldn't surprise me if you managed to fail even this simple assignment. The necessary equipment and ingredients can be found in the cupboard at the back of the classroom, and you have exactly 35 minutes to finish. Begin".

* * *

The Great Hall was filled with life by the time Harry got there. The scurry of hundreds of students all talking over each other was mildly put deafening, but as the years went by, Harry had begun to appreciate it. Privet Drive had never really meant anything to him, so Hogwarts was the closest thing he'd ever come to having a real home, and the sound of people talking made him feel calm. Made him feel like he was a part of one big family.

Finding his seat next to the other Gryffindors, he shot Hermione a quick wink before letting his eyes wander over towards the Slytherin table.

 _Draco isn't here, huh…_

His blonde friend had a tendency of disappearing for short amounts of time without telling anyone. Harry knew why, though. He was most likely writing to his father. The two of them often sent each other letters, updating each other on everything from Draco's schoolwork to the current political climate. Lucius Malfoy was everything but a compassionate man, but Harry could tell he cared deeply about his son, even if he didn't let it show. And despite his attempts at convincing Harry otherwise, Draco cared about his father, too.

"SILENCE!"

The voice of Albus Dumbledore tore through the chatty atmosphere of the Great Hall, shushing the students quiet as always. That particular word had become something of a catchphrase for Dumbledore, and Harry secretly wondered if he purposefully looked for occasions to use it.

"Today is the day we reveal whom gets chosen as Triwizard Champions! You have all had 24 hours to enter your names into the Goblet of Fire, and as of this moment, the entrance ceremony is at an end! Now, the Goblet will decide who are worthy of participating in this distinguished tournament. Bartemius, if you would do us the honor".

The man clad in the black robe rose from his seat, and walked up to the podium. Dumbledore gave him a quick pat on the back, before gesturing towards the Goblet, which had been placed in the open space in front of the four enormous tables.

Pulling out his wand, the one known as Bartemius Crouch Senior pointed it towards the Goblet, before uttering a silent spell that only he could hear. The fire on top of the bronze object immediately grew in size, crackling with such ferocity it made the students sitting at the front jump in their seats.

As the lights in the Great Hall were dimmed, the fire changed color to a deep purple, casting long shadows across the stone floor. Harry stared at it as if entranced, along with the other students. He just couldn't seem to take his eyes off the contorting flame.

Suddenly, the flame seemed to bulge with extreme pressure, before shooting out a single spark of purple flame high into the air, turning into a single piece of burnt parchment as it floated down towards the ground again. As the students watched it sink, Dumbledore stretched out his hand and grabbed it out of the air.

"The first Triwizard Champion, hailing from the school of Durmstrang, is… Viktor Krum!"

The entire hall burst out in applause, none louder than the Durmstrang students, who were currently busy surrounding Krum, who held his hand high in the air as a gesture of victory.

 _Not surprising_ , Harry thought to himself as he watched the Bulgarian Seeker celebrate.

As the bustle slowly died down, the fire yet again grew in size, before shooting out another piece of burning parchment. And yet again, Dumbledore stretched out his hand to catch it as it fell to the ground.

"The second Triwizard Champion, hailing from Beauxbatons Academy of Magic, is… Fleur Delacour!"

A cheer went out from the girls gathered around Fleur, and Harry couldn't help but be excited with them. The girl from Beauxbatons seemed like a genuinely nice person, and she sure was good-looking. Harry found himself looking forward to seeing how she would tackle the challenges of the Triwizard Tournament.

And just like that, the fire charged up yet again, before shooting out the last name of the evening, the name of the Hogwarts Triwizard Champion. The students gathered in the Great Hall all held their collective breaths as Dumbledore caught the last piece of parchment in his hand, a weak smile flashing across his face.

"And the final Triwizard Champion, hailing from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, is… Cedric Diggory!"

This time, the applause was through the roof. Every student from Hogwarts got up from their seats to give Cedric a standing ovation, and judging from the huge smile plastered onto the boys' face, he didn't dislike the attention. Even Harry had to admit, he could hardly think of a better person to represent Hogwarts.

"That concludes the selection process of the Triwizard Champions. The First Task will take place on November 24th, and I hope to see all of you there, cheering on your favorite Champion. Well met, students, and off to bed!"

As the people gathered in the Great Hall got ready to leave, Harry noticed something… weird… going on with the Goblet out of the corner of his eye. The fire crackling on top of it hadn't died down, as he had suspected it would. If anything, it had increased even further in size. And as he watched, the fire bulged with pressure, before shooting out yet another piece of parchment.

Everyone went silent. Even the Headmaster seemed to be at a loss of words as they watched the parchment fall towards the ground in a steady decline. Nobody knew how to react. Had the Goblet misfired? Was there some sort of error with any of the previously chosen Champions? Was there, by some happenstance, a fourth Champion?

The Great Hall remained silent as Dumbledore slowly approached the now cool piece of parchment, bending over and picking it up. Harry watched the Headmaster's reaction as he read the name written on it, his eyes growing wide and confused.

"...er", the Headmaster said.

The students sent each other questioning stares, as nobody had heard what Dumbledore had said.

"Hermione Granger," the Headmaster read, louder this time.

All the blood in Harry's veins froze to ice as he heard her name, his mind going numb from the shock. Every logical thought in his head simultaneously disappeared like smoke, leaving nothing behind.

 _Hermione? No… there is no way she could… what?!_

Turning around to look at her, he noticed that her skin had taken on a rather unnatural shade of grey, her eyes locked wide open with surprise. It was obvious she hadn't been expecting to hear her own name, either.

Everyone's attention was fixed dead on her as she spoke.

"F… forgive me, Headmaster, but… there must have been some sort of mistake, I… I didn't… put…" She tried, her sentence trailing off as the revelation of what had just happened sunk in.

As Hermione, as well as the other students gathered in the Great Hall, attempted to process whatever had just happened, Professor McGonagall came rushing over to Dumbledore's side, grabbing his arm with a shaky hand.

"Albus, there is no way we can let her participate! She is only a young girl, for Merlin's sake!" she whispered ferociously, loud enough for everyone in the Great Hall to hear.

Dumbledore slowly turned around to face her, his face an expressionless mask.

"Bartemius, what say you? Is there any way we can pull Hermione Granger out of this tournament?" he said, his gaze remaining locked on Professor McGonagall. The black-robed man from the Ministry of Magic looked just as flabbergasted as anyone else in the Great Hall, but ever so slowly, he shook his head from side to side.

"N… no. The Goblet constitutes a binding magical contract. The girl must participate, it is the only option…"

Dumbledore closed his eyes in defeat, suddenly looking a whole lot older than he had just moments earlier.

"So be it then. The fourth Triwizard Champion… will be Hermione Granger".

* * *

Harry closed his eyes as he pushed Hermione's petite form against his own, comforting her as the sobs racked through her body. This was the first time he had seen her cry so openly, and it tore at his heart more than he thought possible. The stray moonlight coming in through the blinds in the girls' bedroom illuminated the tears rolling down her cheeks, making them look like tiny beads of silver.

"I can't… I can't do it Harry…" she cried, pushing her face against his chest as she sobbed and sobbed. "I can't… I'm so afraid…"

"I know, Hermione, I know," Harry whispered, gently stroking a hand across the top of her head. "None of us could have foreseen something like this happening". Her tears had long since stained his clothes wet, but he didn't care. He knew she needed him, and he was not going to leave her alone at a time like this.

"How… how could this… I didn't put my name in the Goblet, I swear it Harry!" she whimpered, burrowing her face even further into his already tear-stained robe.

"Hey, I believe you, Hermione…" Harry answered comfortingly, wrapping his arms closer around her small frame. Her hair smelled faintly of sweet ginger, and he found himself secretly enjoying this rare moment of closeness, in spite of the circumstances.

"Now everyone is going to think I cheated my way into the tournament and… oh god Harry, I don't want to…"

"Shhh… It's okay, Hermione, we'll figure this out together… I won't leave you on your own…"

Her body seemed to relax a little as he said this, and ever so slowly, her sobs weakened in strength, before stopping completely. They stayed like that for a while, Harry pushing her against him, calmly stroking her hair. It was peaceful, in a way, and to be honest, he didn't really want it to stop.

Suddenly, another sound emerged from Hermione. A soft, but firm wheezing, almost as if… It took Harry only a second to realize what had happened. Hermione had fallen asleep.

Letting out a sigh, he gently lifted her up, before carrying her over to her bed, wrapping her in as carefully as he could. He didn't want to wake her, after all, not when she was sleeping so peacefully. She would have to sleep with her clothes on tonight as well, as he didn't dare even entertain the thought of undressing her.

After taking one last good look to make sure everything was okay, he ever so slowly backed out of the room, closing the oaken door behind him as he left. Hopefully Hermione would be feeling better in the morning, after getting a good nights' sleep.

Heading back towards the boys' sleeping quarters, he couldn't help but let his mind wander off to the challenges laying ahead. Things were going to be difficult going forward, with Hermione participating in the Triwizard Tournament and all. The Ministry of Magic itself had, after all, deemed its tasks too difficult for anyone under the age of 17 to complete. And whilst it was true that Hermione was exceptionally bright for her age, Harry didn't fancy her chances going up against the likes of Victor Krum. He would have to keep a close eye on her for now, and help her out in any way he could.

* * *

That night, Harry's nightmares returned. The black ocean spread out in front of him, the darkness closing in. It was identical to the one he had had the previous night. Except it was worse this time. Because he knew how it would end.

Back in the boys' sleeping quarters, his body was rocking violently from side to side, his subconscious desperately trying to rip him out of his nightmare. But it didn't work. He was stuck there, in the darkness. Nobody would save him now. It was hopeless.

In the dream, the darkness swallowed him. Shut out every trace of light, every trace of happiness. And then came the part he hated the most. The scarlet eyes. They bore into him, staring right through him into his very soul. There was no escaping them. They were all-knowing, and could see his every thought. Every attempt at evasion was futile. You couldn't escape that which knew you better than yourself.

" **I. AM".** The words rolled through the darkness, making the very air feel thick with boundless power. This wasn't Voldemort. Harry had had nightmares about him, too. But this was something else. Something stronger. And it terrified him beyond words.

Just when he thought his mind was about to break, he finally woke up. It was morning. The sunlight streamed in through a tiny space in-between the curtains, dancing across his eyelids. As he ever so slowly got up into a sitting position, he noticed that his bed was soaked with nightmare-induced sweat.

 _This isn't… normal. There is something wrong with these nightmares. They have never been this intense before_ , he thought to himself as he sluggishly changed out of his now sweat-soaked pajamas into his formal school robes.

 _I had better go talk with Professor Dumbledore. He'll know what to do. He always does._

The thought of it calmed him, and before long, he found himself well on his way towards the Great Hall. As he left the Gryffindor common room, he joined up with a small stream of students heading the same way. No one said anything to him, as usual. Not that it bothered him. He was used to that by now.

* * *

 **November 1** **st** **, 1994**

As they finally entered through the massive wooden doors leading in to the Great Hall, Harry spotted Draco sitting over on the far right, next to some of his friends from Slytherin.

 _Huh, that's… odd. I didn't see him at all after Potions class yesterday. Does he know what happened with Hermione and the Triwizard Tournament?_

After sitting down next to Seamus Finnigan, Harry spent the rest of his breakfast in silence, pondering what Draco might have been up to yesterday. So preoccupied was he, in fact, that he completely failed to notice that Hermione had taken a seat opposite of him. Only when she finally coughed to get his attention did he break out of his trance-like state.

"Oh, Hermione! I… didn't see you there," he exclaimed, silently cursing himself for not noticing her earlier. He wouldn't want her to think he was ignoring her, after all.

"No, that's perfectly fine… I just… wait, what's up with you? You look so pale, and you have this intense expression on your face…" she replied, her eyes sending him a questioning look.

"Hmm? My face…? Oh, it's nothing to worry about, just had some… bad nightmares…" He let the sentence hang in the air, as he knew perfectly well how Hermione felt about him and his nightmares.

"Oh… okay... well, I only really came to… thank you for yesterday. I wasn't… well, really myself, as you might have noticed. I was so scared, I…" Taking a deep breath, she tried her best to sound more confident than she really felt, but to no avail. Her voice still came out as a shaky mess.

"I didn't know what to do with myself, and if it hadn't been for your support, I don't know what I would have done..."

She recoiled slightly as Harry suddenly placed a hand on top of hers, enveloping it in a soft embrace.

"Hermione, you don't have to explain yourself, you really don't. Just… remember that I'll always be there for you, okay? It's honestly the least I can do. After all the times you've had my back, it's finally my turn to have yours," he answered, putting on a warm smile to reassure her. A hint of red touched her cheeks as she listened to him, but that was almost expected when presented with such a heartfelt confession.

Nodding, she returned his smile in full, making him feel loads better. Seeing her smile again was like a healing salve for his soul, mending his confused heart. With all of his nightmares and disorganized thoughts, he reckoned he needed that.

All of a sudden, Draco was there, wrapping Hermione in a tight hug. The gesture came so unexpectedly that the poor girl had a hard time deciding on how to react, ultimately settling on returning the hug. The entirety of the Great Hall went silent, everyone's attention firmly locked on what was taking place between the two students.

Draco Malfoy, the heir to a family that was directly associated with blood purity, was currently hugging the mudblood girl Hermione Granger. Most students found it weird that the two of them were friends in the first place, so seeing them do something so… intimate, shocked a good majority of them. And that Draco was doing this whilst being fully aware of the fact that his father would be hearing about this was perhaps the most surprising thing of all. He had never done anything so directly opposed to his family's belief before.

"Are you alright?" he asked, completely ignoring the others attention. His gaze was fixed on Hermione, and Hermione alone.

"Uhm… y… yes, I am… Well, I'm not, but I am… you get the point," she stammered, clearly taken aback with what had just happened. Draco simply nodded in response, before sliding down into the seat next to her.

"That's good to hear. As much as I hate to admit it, I was rather worried when I heard about what had happened at the Triwizard Champion selection. To think they would actually allow you to participate… it's truly preposterous!" he ranted, his hands waving around in angry gestures.

"Wow… yeah, I suppose it is," Hermione acknowledged, shaking her head ever so slightly from side to side. "It's not like I really stand a chance against the other Champions, either!" She too, seemed to be completely ignoring the fact that the entire Great Hall was watching her. Harry, on the other hand, was painfully aware of it.

"Hermione, I don't think you should be undermining yourself in front of all of these students," he whispered, leaning forward so only she and Draco could hear it.

"Why?" she snapped back, a hint of annoyance entering her voice. "They all think I cheated my way into the Tournament as it is, so they probably couldn't care less if I lose horribly to the other contestants!" Whispers and murmurs immediately broke out amongst the students, words of either encouragement or animosity being thrown about.

"You know what, as a matter of fact; they can believe whatever they want! I don't care! I'll surprise all of them by winning this stupid Tournament and defeating the other Champions! That'll make them shut up!" The whispers died down as fast as they had appeared, everyone's attention yet again fixed on Hermione.

"Come on Harry, we are leaving! You are going to help me prepare, whether you want to or not! And that's an order!" Her newfound determination took Harry by such surprise that he couldn't do anything else but nod. He was planning on helping her in the first place, but now, it seemed he had no other choice. Pushing herself up from her seat, she made a scene by purposefully walking OVER the table, grabbing ahold of the back of Harry's coat, before dragging him up and out towards the exit.

The last thing Harry saw before being dragged away from the Great Hall was the shocked expression ingrained into the faces of every student present. This was going to be an interesting year, he could already tell.

* * *

 **A/N: And that marks the ending of the second chapter! I know we are only two chapters in at this point, but I do hope you are all enjoying the story. I bet you weren't expecting Hermione to be the one selected for the Triwizard Tournament! I wanted to do something a little out of the ordinary, as most of the stories I have read taking place around Harry's forth year often involves him either personally participating in the Tournament or falling in love with Fleur. Now, that's not to say Fleur won't have a part to play in this story as well, but I am not going to spoil anything!**

 **As always, if you enjoyed the read, I would greatly appreciate it if you left me a review. They are such good fun to read, and most of the time they help me improve my writing as well. Other than that, I suppose I will see all of you again in the next chapter! Stay safe people!**

 **-Twisted**


End file.
